Young people in Sheffield are being offered a unique opportunity to tap into their creative talents and make the music the city's football teams walk out to at Bramall Lane and Hillsborough.
FURD's Sound Kickers project, funded by the Youth Music Power Play fund, is recruiting youngsters aged between 8 and 18 in the Sharrow and Parson Cross areas to work with professional musicians to develop their own music project.
The project aims to attract up to 80 young people to take part, with some of the music workshops taking place at Sheffield's renowned Red Tape studios. If you're aged 8-18, from Sharrow or Parson Cross and want to learn how to create beats and songs, DJ skills, write and record your own lyrics and play instruments, contact Moony on 07905 243 614, FURD on 0114 255 3156 or enquiries@furd.org to book a place. Sessions are on Thursdays at 5.30pm from October to December 2009.
As well as making a piece of music for one game at Hillsborough and one at Bramall Lane, the project will produce a CD of the youngsters’ efforts and provide them with high profile performance opportunities at Sheffield United’s Community Day and the Lord Mayor’s Show. Sheffield United are also offering a VIP stay at the Copthorne Hotel adjoining Bramall Lane for the winnng effort while Sheffield Wednesday are offering a VIP day for a match at Hillsborough.
Both Parson Cross, on Hillsborough's doorstep, and Sharrow, on Bramall Lane's, are relatively deprived areas but their cultural and racial make-ups are significantly different. FURD's aims revolve around breaking down barriers and part of the project will involve the youngsters themselves switching sides of the city to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of each other's backgrounds.
Project manager Michael Wainwright (better known as Moony) said: “We’ve had a great response so far. These are kids that might have missed the formal music route in schools but who love music. It’s all about giving them the opportunity.
“But it’s not just about the music. It’s about encouraging young people to think about issues like community and diversity and understanding and appreciating both their differences and similarities.”
Julia McInally, Regional Officer for Youth Music in Yorkshire said, "Youth Music believe that music has the power to change people's lives and we are really excited about this high profile project led by young people from Sheffield".